Long Way to Be Happy
by DoILookLikeAManWithAPlan
Summary: Iruka begins to regret ever meeting Kakashi, a reporter that he met on the street. The two had begun to build a life together when a tragic accident twisted it all up. IruKaka...Rated T for safety. YAOI!
1. The Present Not Letting Go

**Long Way to Be Happy**

**Show: **Naruto

**Couple:** Iruka and Kakashi

**Plot: **Iruka begins to regret ever meeting Kakashi, a reporter that he met on the street. The two had begun to build a life together when a tragic accident twisted it all up.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto

**Iruka's POV**

**Chapter 1: Not Letting Go**

I stared outside my third story apartment. The blond hyper child that I had adopted with the silver haired reporter two years ago was running around the small apartment. I closed my eyes a bit, trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall.

It wasn't that long ago I decided to move away from the city that I lived in my entire life. I suppose it was for the best. I needed to get away from the chronic pain I saw on the way to the academy I worked at.

I let out a sigh. I looked at the blond toddler with a small smile. I couldn't help but wander how long I could keep up the lie that I formed to keep the child happy. I rubbed my upper arm as I headed to the kitchen.

I was fixing something to eat for breakfast when Naruto, my child, came running into the kitchen, asking, "When is 'Kashi-papa coming home?"

I stopped what I was doing and almost choked on the words, "I-It'll be soon Naru-kun. It'll be soon."

Crystal blue eyes looked at me when I finally let the tears fall down my tanned cheeks. I quickly wiped the tears off my face. The action didn't seem to ease the pain inside of my heart.

Naruto headed to the small kitchen table that held many colorful pieces of paper. I watched him when he tried to get up there all by himself. I grimaced inwardly, but the smile remained on my face. My thoughts began to wander how Naruto would react to his 'Kashi-papa dieing in some hospital bed.

I walked over to the blond headed child and helped him up there. I kissed the top of his head before going to get the food. I put the food on the table. Before long Naruto had scarfed it all down.

I combed back Naruto's hair. I walked to the master bedroom of the apartment and grabbed some clothes. I headed into the bathroom. I took a quick shower before anything big could happen.

The day seemed to drag on. I had my fears about walking Naruto to the school where he went to and I worked out. My old flame's work was on the way there. I stared at the building for a few minutes when my lovely blond child brought me back.


	2. The Past First Dates

**Long Way to Be Happy**

**Show:** Naruto

**Couple:** Iruka and Kakashi

**Plot:** Iruka begins to regret ever meeting Kakashi, a reporter that he met on the street. The two had begun to build a life together when a tragic accident twisted it all up.

**Iruka's POV**

**Chapter 2: The Past- First Dates**

Before I had even thought of meeting someone to share my life, my life was pretty boring. I'll be the first to admit to that. I didn't go out to party with the rest of what few friends that I had kept from the local high school.

I was sitting on my cot, during college, trying to catch up on studying when I heard a loud bang from outside the small apartment complex. I got up from the cot, heading outside. A firework shot past me, nearly knocking my glasses off.

The only person out on the street at four in the morning was a drunk off his ass reporter. I snorted slightly. I shook my head. Before I could head back inside, I felt his hand tap my ass.

I could feel the red surge of blood rush into my cheeks. I took a quick look at him. He wore a mischievous grin on his face. An eye patch was over his left eye.

His speech was slurred when he asked if he could come inside. I thought nothing of it, but I agreed. I'd do anything to get a drunken man like him off the street.

I grabbed his hand. I pulled him inside the building. I took a glance around to see if any of my neighbors were out and about. I let out a sigh of relief. I was part way in the clearing.

The silver haired man and I walked, almost tiptoed, to my one room apartment. I let him pass out near the cot after a while. I sat on my cot, watching him instead of studying like I should have been.

The morning light shone in through the window next to my cot. I stretched my arms. The smell of coffee had hit my nose. I blinked and sat up. I looked around.

The man I had brought inside of my home was standing in the kitchen area. My coffeepot had been turned on and I ran my fingers through my shoulder length hair. I fixed my glasses on my face.

"Did I fall asleep?" I asked standing up from my cot.

"You were when I woke. I decided to make you breakfast for your hospitality," the silver haired man said.

"Introduce yourself first."

"My name's Kakashi Hatake of the Japan Times," the man said turning slightly to smile at me.

I nodded slowly. Just my luck to pick up a drunken reporter. I folded my arms over my chest in a neat way. I walked over to him to check what he was doing.

In an instant my glasses were off my face. I looked in the general direction of where Kakashi's face was. I gripped the counter when I felt for it.

"G-Give me my glasses Kakashi-sempai!" I demanded.

"But you look much better without them on," he said before I heard the snapping of the cheap plastic.

I sharply in took a breath of cold air. I could make out the line of his mischievous grin. I punched him weakly. Well, it was as hard as I could possibly hit him. He let go of a chuckle before checking on the food.

I moved out his way. I squinted a bit. I really tried to get my eyes to refocus on the other male. I listened to him hum to himself.

"Your name is Iruka Umino right?" Kakashi asked.

"H-How did you-?"

"The paper's that were scattered around your cot," Kakashi put it mildly. "Your name's all over it."

My mouth dropped slightly. The silver haired man took the opportunity to stuff a little bit of food into my mouth. He gingerly shut my mouth for me. I began to chew and I eventually swallowed the food.

"Where'd you learn to cook?" I asked, blushing.

"One of my friends taught me to cook when I was enlisted."

"You were in the military?"

"I was for five years. I was discharged for a fight that caused this," Kakashi said motioning over his eye.

"I'm sorry," I said even though I knew it wasn't my fault.

I headed over to the mini-fridge in the corner of the room. I opened it to grab some milk for the coffee. I headed back to the counter. I pulled out the only two plates I had and a couple of mugs. I placed everything on the cheaply made counter.

"Why'd you break my glasses? I have classes this afternoon," I asked him.

"I'm pretty sure you can see well enough to not need them."

I opened my mouth to protest, but I quickly closed it. I didn't need to make any comments about what had been said. I felt Kakashi place a hand on my shoulder. I bit my lip.

Kakashi's finger from his free hand found its way to my bottom lip. He lightly coaxed it from my teeth.

"So when's a good time for me to come by?"

"I-I can write down my class schedule for this week and next week," I said searching around for a clean piece of paper.

Little did I know, I was going to be giving the silver haired man the dates for the rest of my life.


	3. The Present Their Daily Routine

**Long Way to Be Happy**

**Show:** Naruto

**Couple:** Iruka and Kakashi

**Plot:** Iruka begins to regret ever meeting Kakashi, a reporter that he met on the street. The two had begun to build a life together when a tragic accident twisted it all up.

**Iruka's POV**

**Chapter 3: The Present- Their Daily Routine**

After I dropped Naruto off at the pre-k, I took a quick visit to the hospital where Kakashi used to be at. I stood there for a few minutes. The cold wind began to pick up slightly.

I sucked in my breath before I forced myself to head back to the school where I taught. When I got to the school, I realized that my students were already there.

I checked the time quickly. A look of surprise formed on my face. This was the first time that I had ever been late. Laughter came from the students in the classroom.

My eye twitched slightly. A smirk threatened to get on my lips. I turned to the board and began to write assignments on the board. Groans from my students began to sound off behind me.

The door swung open when I was still jotting things down. I stopped mid-word to take a look at who it was. My eyes widened a bit when I saw my blond headed child in the doorway. I quickly went up to him and picked the small boy up.

"How did you get here Naru-chan?" I asked him as I stepped outside the room.

Naruto rubbed his eyes before saying, "I followed you 'Ruka-momma."

I held him close, running my fingers through his hair. After a few minutes, he realized that he wasn't going to get into trouble and laid his head on my shoulder. I stepped back into the classroom. I finished writing down the assignments and watched my students work on the assignments I had given them.

I readjusted the now sleeping child in my arms as the day wore on. I kept checking the time. I couldn't wait 'till I could get onto the people at the [re-k that had kept my child.

I had finally set down in the chair that I had kept at my desk lightly when all the students had left the classroom. The little blond boy beat a weird rhythm onto the desk. I headed over to the tall trash can.

"'Ruka-momma, can we see if 'Kashi-papa is at work?" Naruto asked as I threw the trash away.

"We can't do that."

"Why?"

I let out a sigh. It would be no easy task telling my baby boy why we couldn't just go see Kakashi. It hurt me inside to lie to Naruto about things that had happened in the past. Things he might just understand.

My chocolate brown eyes met his bright blue eyes. I walked over to him and picked him up in my arms. I felt him trying to play with my pulled back hair.

I headed down to the pre-k center quietly. I watched the other kids go to their parents and the caretaker was frantically making sure that everyone was where they were supposed to be. I walked over to the small woman.

"Can I speak to you for a moment?" I asked her when I caught her attention. "It's about Naruto."

"It's not my fault he ran off."

"You're supposed to be watching my son, not letting him run off," I said trying to keep my anger under control.

I readjusted Naruto in my arms. My son strongly gripped onto my shirt and jacket. I rubbed Naruto's back gently as I left the small classroom. I didn't want Naruto to hear any of the argument that was sure to happen if I stayed there.

I set the small boy on the ground once we got outside the school. I held his hand while we walked to the apartment complex. I stopped shortly to check out mail. I pulled out a couple of envelopes before leading the child up the stairs.

I sat on the couch with the papers I had to grade. With all the distractions I had been getting lately, I found myself watching Naruto playing with the toys that Kakashi had bought him when we first got him.


	4. The Past Moving In

**Long Way to Be Happy**

**Show:** Naruto

**Couple:** Iruka and Kakashi

**Plot:** Iruka begins to regret ever meeting Kakashi, a reporter that he met on the street. The two had begun to build a life together when a tragic accident twisted it all up.

**Kakashi's POV**

**Chapter 4: The Past- Moving In**

I hadn't given much thought to the relationship that was forming between Iruka and me. Not that I give thoughts to other things. Oh, God no.

I ran my thoughts, Iruka called them dirty sometimes. I was sitting outside my lovely dolphin's apartment complex. I crossed my legs a bit, letting the chilly air run over me.

I look towards the direction that I knew Iruka came from after he got off work. I placed my hands over one of my knees. I stood up when I saw chocolate brown hair in the distance.

I saw the body speed up when Iruka saw me walking up to him. He wrapped his arms around my neck. I picked up the small man up off the ground to spin him around. Our lips interlocked quickly before I set him down.

The brown headed man took my hand. He led me into the building, allowing me to intertwine our fingers.

"Weren't you cold 'Kashi?"

"A little, but I could get used to it," I said shrugging a bit.

Iruka smiled as he unlocked his door. I lightly placed a hand on the doorway. His chocolate brown eyes were trained on me for a second. He tilted his head lightly.

"Are you lonely living here by yourself?" I asked him.

"Sometimes but I had just gotten used to it until you came along and broke my glasses."

My eye twitched a bit before I said, "I did get you contacts."

"And it was very sweet of you," Iruka said patting my chest lightly.

I couldn't help but smile at the younger male. I watched him walk into his apartment before I followed him. My eyes found a steady gaze on the others backside.

When I realized what I was doing, I quickly averted my eyes. I certainly didn't want my dolphin to think that I only wanted to be with him because of the sex.

"You want anything to drink?" Iruka asked, looking back at me.

"Not really," I said shaking my head. "I just came here to check up on you actually."

"If you moved in you wouldn't need to," Iruka said, making the suggestion once again.

"How many times must you ask me to move in with you?"

"As many times as it takes."

A sigh escaped my mouth a bit. I couldn't believe that we were going to talk about this again. I looked at Iruka. The tanned teacher was now looking at the ground.

"'Ruka. It'll be soon when I move in," I said softly, touching his arm.

His face instantly looked up at me. His chocolate brown eyes were happy for the first time in a while. I lightly pecked his lips. He slowly wrapped his arms around my neck. I let my arms snake around his waist lightly.

I pulled him towards me. With just that tiny gesture, I could feel Iruka's mouth spread into a smile underneath my own lips.

It was a few weeks before I began to move what little I had into Iruka's apartment. I wouldn't let my deer lover move anything of mine into what could now be called our apartment.

Iruka had a smile on his face even if I didn't let him do anything.


	5. The Past Adoption

**Long Way to Be Happy**

**Show:** Naruto

**Couple:** Iruka and Kakashi

**Plot:** Iruka begins to regret ever meeting Kakashi, a reporter that he met on the street. The two had begun to build a life together when a tragic accident twisted it all up.

**Kakashi's POV**

**Chapter 5: The Past- Adoption**

Adoption papers scattered across the small coffee table. Flyers and pamphlets were among the papers. My lovely dolphin and I were having some issues with getting our own child since we moved in together.

The brown headed male was in our small apartment getting ready for some type of interview. I was sitting on the couch. I was silently praying that I didn't have to go (the last one I went to nearly ended in bloodshed).

I looked up with my good eye when I heard a door open. A small smile appeared on my face. Iruka walked over to me. He started combing his fingers through my hair, trying to get it styled neatly.

"You know you won't be able to do that babe," I said quietly.

Iruka mumbled something incoherently before sitting beside me. I lightly patted his knee that was closest to me. My lover leaned against me slightly and buried his face into my shoulder. I rested my chin on the top of his head.

"Why is it so hard for you to get along with the interviewers?"

"It's not that I don't want to, but they assume things and you know that I don't like people doing that," I whispered. "Especially about you."

"I know you don't, but can you try to be nice this once?"

I let out a sigh, but nodded anyway. I loosened the tie I had on. The both of us got off the couch. Letting my lovely dolphin exit the apartment first, I locked everything up. I listened to my lover's impatient foot tapping on the floor outside the apartment.

"I'm hurrying," I assured him as I looked back at him.

"We got two hours till the interview and we have to walk," Iruka said before the two of us started to walk down the sidewalk.

"Scared of taking my car?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow.

Iruka furrowed his eyebrows. Immediately I knew I had struck a nerve with the younger male. I touched his back, knowing he was remembering his parent's car crash. He shook his head. I smiled at him lightly when he looked up at me.

"We'll take it next time I promise," he said trying a smile out on his face.

I slightly nodded. I let my hand touch his hand, eventually holding his hand. Our fingers intertwined when we got to the orphanage almost late. Poor Iruka was fretting about it the last few minutes of our journey.

"Get back here doube," I heard a small voice yell at the orphanage playground.

My eyes floated over, so did Iruka's I believe, to see a small blond toddler sitting on the pavement. He was holding a toy fox in his arms. A raven haired boy was standing over him. Before I knew it Iruka was heading over to the two boys.

I let my hands hang there. My eyebrows furrowed in a confusing gesture. Wasn't this the same man who was worrying about being on time? I looked at the orphanage doors before stepping in. I guess it was a good time as any while my lover was trying to help the two young boys out.

The receptionist looked up at me when I got up to the front desk.

"I'm Kakashi Hatake and Iruka Umino's outside," I said, jerking a thumb towards the playground area.

"You're here to adopt," she said smiling a bit.

I nodded, hoping that Iruka wouldn't get into too much trouble. He had been excited for this day to come to us. The lady showed us to a clean office, possibly the only one with all the kids around. I sat in a chair that was close to the door in case I needed to get out in a hurry.

Iruka finally made his way back to the office in the middle of the interview. That action was strange coming from the man that was usually on time for dates. I looked at the brown headed man and he looked to be worn out.

I didn't know how the interview turned out because the small blond headed brat came running into the office.

"I'm sorry about Naruto," the interviewer said smiling at the two of us.

"Pick me pwease?" he asked in his little toddler voice.

I blinked a bit, looking at the boy. I took a glance at Iruka who was talking it over with the person. The lady was nodding a bit. She led us to where the papers would get signed. The blond boy held onto my hand while my lovely dolphin filled out the paper.

I closed my eyes, wandering if I could ever be a good father to the blond child. If I ever would get the chance to see him grow up.


	6. The Past The Accident

**Long Way to Be Happy**

**Show:** Naruto

**Couple:** Iruka and Kakashi

**Plot:** Iruka begins to regret ever meeting Kakashi, a reporter that he met on the street. The two had begun to build a life together when a tragic accident twisted it all up.

**Regular POV**

**Chapter 6: The Past- The Accident**

Kakashi groaned as his lover pulled the curtains of their bedroom open. The silver haired man pulled what sheets were left on his side of the bed over his eyes. The dolphin walked over to him and pulled them off of him.

"'Kashi time to get up," Iruka said tapping the other's foot.

"Can't I stay with Naru?" Kakashi asked as he opened his eyes after a minute or two.

"He's going to the day care at the school I teach at," Iruka said before he got dressed to go to work.

Kakashi pushed himself off the bed. He rubbed his good eye slowly. He reached over to grab his patch, but couldn't find it. He frantically moved his hand around the nightstand. The half-blind man felt his lover's hand on his cheek.

"I got it right here," Iruka said, helping Kakashi place the eye-patch on his eye. "Sorry I didn't tell you."

"It's okay," Kakashi said shrugging a bit.

The silver-haired man pulled his lover down and gently pecked his lips. Kakashi smiled when he got off the bed and headed into the living room area. Iruka's and his son was already awake. The blond haired child was sitting on the ground, playing with the raggedy old toy that Kakashi had gotten him.

The older man waved goodbye to his small family before grabbing his coat. He watched them for a few seconds at the door. Kakashi left with a swift close of the door. The journalist headed to the car garage and got into his beat up old car.

As he was backing up, a car was barreling past him that Kakashi didn't see. The silver-haired man skidded to a stop in the middle of the lane, allowing another car to hit the driver's side head on.

Kakashi hit the steering wheel and lost consciousness. Glass shattered; tiny pieces were flown into his head. Blood was streaming down Kakashi's head when the paramedics came to help him.

Iruka was notified at work about the accident when the doctors couldn't do anything more to help his lover. It was the day that Iruka started to slow break down. It was the day that the long way to be happy started.

**A/N: So one more chapter after this one, but only 1. Uno. Not going to be writing any more on this fic, but I will make the last one long and good.**


	7. The Present Arrival at the Destination

**Long Way to Be Happy**

**Show:** Naruto

**Couple:** Iruka and Kakashi

**Plot:** Iruka begins to regret ever meeting Kakashi, a reporter that he met on the street. The two had begun to build a life together when a tragic accident twisted it all up.

**Iruka's POV**

**Chapter 7: The Present- Arrival at the Destination**

**I don't want to end this story, but I got like three others that I'm writing and this is the only one that is the closest to be finished…I hope you like this chapter.**

It took everything for me to tell my blond headed child that his 'Kashi-dad wasn't going to be coming home. I couldn't keep up the lie anymore. It was hurting me too much every time he would bring it up.

I held Naruto in my arms for several hours after I told him. I heard it was best to just let him let it out. The young boy held onto my shirt. He looked up at me with his puffy eyes, questioning me like a three year old would.

I kissed his head lightly and set him on the couch. I turned to view him better. I understood that he was too young to understand what was going on. It had always been in the back of my head, but Naruto was wise for his age.

"'Ruka-dad. Why did 'kashi-dad have to go?" he asked me in a tiny whisper.

"I don't know Naru-chan," I said kissing his head lightly. "It was just his time to go."

I stood up and headed into the kitchen. I moved around in a trance-like state. I hated knowing that Naruto was going to be carrying this truth with me. But I had told him, months after the accident happened.

I picked my head up from the cooking when I heard the door open. I dropped the wooden spoon I had been holding. My brows furrowed a bit as I tried to figure out who was at the door. A silver-haired man was standing there in hospital issued garb.

"Hey," Kakashi said lazily, smiling in the way he does.

**Yay…A happy ending I think. I might write a sequel story, but it depends on if I have time or not to do it.**


End file.
